Monday September 21 is celebrated as International Day of Peace. It was originally established as a resolution by the United Nations in 1981.
Peace is something I think a lot about. I do think there is much we can each do individually – we must certainly protect the vulnerable as best we can; we must model non-violent conflict resolution and compassionate action towards all beings; we must work towards strong peace. While it can be hard to believe that any individual action really makes a difference collectively, at the very least I believe I can be responsible for my life.
Although I’m not a Buddhist, there’s a wonderful prayer by the late Buddhist teacher Maylie Scott that I like very much. Here is an excerpt from it:
“May I be well, loving, and peaceful. May all beings be well, loving, and peaceful.
May I continually cultivate the ground of peace for myself and others and persist, mindful and dedicated to this work, independent of results.
May I know that my peace and the world’s peace are not separate; that our peace in the world is a result of our work for justice.
May all beings be well, happy and peaceful.”
Leave me a comment about what peace means to you and/or how you practice it in your daily life, or anything else you’d like to say about peace, and I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a free bottle of my Peace auric spray. (For those who don’t know about my auric sprays – what they are and why you might want to use them – there’s a lot of information on my website at www.feelgoodenergyshift.com ). I’ll announce the winner on Friday 9/25/09.
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I think practicing peace is a daily excercise, like working a muscle. And I’m often neglectful. While I live on a farm, where one would think it is always peaceful , it is not. Just now, I had ill thoughts about a nearby neighbor who is the bane of the area’s existance. His ignorance about the earth, the trash and junk all over his property, his yelling at his children, neglect of his property- it makes me mad. I have to constantly practice not despising him. And then I think about the nationas at battle – often over religion- and i think, if I have ill feelings about one neighbor, but I contain it, how can I hope that whole nations will contain their hatred for the other. I do believe we can practice peace each day – even if it is thinking about one neighbor- by simpling believing they are doing the ‘best they know how to do at this very moment”. It might not be good enough for me, but it might be the only tools they have at this moment.
I think of peace daily. There is so much need for peace in the world. To me, it starts small, just bringing peace to every interaction in your life, as best you can at the moment. Even an Oak grows from a small seed.
May I share the opening line from the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi – Lord Make Me an Instrument of you peace. That prayer, too, contains a deep call for peace.
I work in an assisted living facility as a wellness nurse-most residents live there due to various health problems that keep them from living alone; some suffer various stages of dementia . I try very hard to spread peace directly from my heart,looking them straight in the eye & loving them,holding their hand with intention,& sending peaceful prayers up for them. I also try to do this for the people I work with -for what they do is often hard work & there is no way to pay them what they are worth…we all need more love & peace-some are angels that care for elderly animals like Katherine & some of us plod along loving elderly people,even the disagreeable ones.Love & peace gives me reason to live.
@Katherine – Yes, I agree with you. It’s a daily practice and the dance with it isn’t always as graceful and smooth stepping as one would like. Plenty of tripping and toe-stubbing on all are parts for sure! And I hope that we all uphold for each other the understanding that we can all do better and that all our tools can be upgraded.
@Katie – I’ve always liked that line also – being an “instrument of peace”. It really reminds me that this is a vibration we can hold, and it’s helpful for me to think of myself as a resonant vessel.
@Lora – Bless you for the wonderful work you do! Seeding peace this way, directly from the heart, is so powerful – and I truly hope it is reflected back to you manyfold!
AND THE WINNER IS…
Lora.
If you’ll send me your mailing information (drop me a note at deborah@deborah-weber.com) I’ll get a Peace auric spray out in the mail to you.
And thanks everyone for playing!